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“Glad that I lived up to my reputation.” I cross both arms while she studies my apartment with the scrutiny of a drill sergeant scouring a barracks for scuff marks.
“I am here because it seems we have a bit of a dark witch problem here in this city.”
“And who told you that?”
She looks completely unamused when she turns to me. “I hardly need someone to tell me about that of which I already know.”
“And I’m forced to ask, again. How the hell do you know about it?”
“Where is this witch?” she questions, completely ignoring my question.
“Since you already know everything, why do I need to tell you?”
“This is hardly a game,” Odette retorts.
“Neither of us are under the impression that it is,” Elijah replies coolly, his age and experience with councils give him more of an advantage than I have, especially given his level temper.
“I’ll ask you one more time,” I interject. “Why are you here?” It takes everything in me to not follow up that last bit with a threat of what will happen if she doesn’t answer.
The woman purses her lips, flattening them into a tight line, and I get the distinct impression that she is not someone who is questioned often. Good for fucking her. “That witch you seem so keen on protecting needs to be put down. The two of you happen to be hunters. Put. Her. Down.”
“I don’t answer to you,” I reply.
“Perhaps not, but you know as well as I do that she is a danger to every supernatural in this city, and I can guarantee you two are not the only ones being approached with this order.”
“If you know about her, then you must know who she is to us,” Elijah says. “And why we won’t kill her.”
“I don’t care who she is to you. What I do care about, is whether or not her heart is still beating.”
“Why the hell would you think for even a second I would listen to you?” I question.
“Because if you don’t, your sister, her mate, your hunter here, they’re all going to die. You know it. I know it. It’s only a matter of time, really. And if you aren’t the one to put her down, it will be done so by someone who will show less mercy and who’s only motivation is obtaining that of which runs in her veins.”
I hear what she’s saying, the logic behind it, and I know she’s right, but that doesn’t change my mind. “And you know this how? A little birdy told you?”
“Hardly. I have experience with dark witches, hunter, and experience has taught me that there is always a bigger fish. And those bigger fish rarely enjoy being challenged.”
“If you care this much about dark witches, then where the hell were you when Lucy was running rampant? Or better yet, her psychotic mother who wore me like a fucking Halloween costume?”
For a brief moment, she looks almost apologetic.Almost.The emotion flashes so quickly I barely have time to notice it before she’s back to her miserable, stick-up-her-ass self. “Regrettably I was indisposed for the last three decades. Seems you mostly handled it, though. With minimal casualties, from what I hear.”
Rage burns hot through me, and I step forward. Her bodyguards move closer, but the woman doesn’t look the least bit threatened. “I lost my friend, you miserable bitch. And my friend lost her mate. Minimal does not even come close to the fucking pain his death caused.”
My tone is low, my words calculated, and I strongly hope this woman is as smart as she looks because otherwise I may just end up slicing her throat wide open, changing the scene in my apartment.
Finally, she nods. “I apologize for my crass words. I merely meant to say it could have been worse.”
“It sure as hell could have been better,” Elijah snaps. “But instead of stepping in, the council hid like cowards.”
“Again, I was indisposed during that time,” Odette replies. “But I can assure you that had I not been, I would not have sat idly by and allowed what happened to take place.”
“Bronywyn was not always dark.” I cross both arms, letting my temper cool just enough that I’m not a kill risk at the moment. “She was a good witch.”
“I know Bronywyn quite well,” Odette says. “Knew her parents, too. I was most disturbed when I learned what had happened to her.” She turns to Elijah. “As she was saving you, I understand.”
His jaw tightens and I move closer to him, hoping to shield him from some of his own guilt.
“As we speak, bounty hunters are being brought into Billings, all hoping to capture your friend.”
“Capture?”
She nods. “As I said, there are those who want her for what is in her veins. If you truly care for your friend, you will show her mercy and put her down. Otherwise, her final moments will be far less pleasant.” The woman turns away. “I truly wish I had a better reason for visiting, hunter. I knew your grandmother and would have much rather shared stories of her than ordered you to kill your friend. But I promise you, killing her is showing mercy where others will not.” Her guard opens the door, and the three of them slip outside.
More bounty hunters in Billings? That’s shit news for every single supernatural here. For weeks, I was hunted by the bastards. They have no honor, no integrity, all they care about is the dollar signs in front of their reward.
And if their reward is large enough to have them fighting over a dark witch, we’re fucked. I turn to Elijah. “What the hell are we supposed to do?”
“I honestly don’t know. But we’d damn well better let the others know that Billings is about to get a whole lot more crowded.”
